GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2001
S	1
SENATE BILL 737
     

 
Short Title:	Funds for Interpreters in Local Health Depts.	()	
Sponsors:	Senators Purcell;  Forrester, Gulley, Lucas, and Martin of Guilford.	
Referred to:	Appropriations/Base Budget.	
April 2, 2001

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS FOR INTERPRETER SERVICES IN LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS IN COUNTIES WITH A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF SPANISH-SPEAKING RESIDENTS.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.(a)  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health, the sum of three million dollars ($3,000,000) for the 2001‑2002 fiscal year and the sum of three million two hundred thousand dollars ($3,200,000) for the 2002‑2003 fiscal year.  These funds shall be used to provide professional interpreters based in local health departments in counties with medium, high, or very high‑population density of Spanish‑speaking residents.  The funds shall be allocated to local health departments based on a ratio recommended by the State Health Director's Committee on Linguistic Services.
SECTION 1.(b)  Of the funds appropriated to the Department of Health and Human Services in subsection (a) of this section, the sum of up to five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) for the 2001‑2002 fiscal year and the sum of up to seven hundred thousand dollars ($700,000) for the 2002‑2003 fiscal year may be used by the Department to plan, implement, and maintain a program to provide incentives for local health departments to recruit, select, and hire bilingual staff.
SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2001.